The new mix tape?
Sometimes when old ideas come back into new forms they’re cool, and sometimes they seem like a blatant attempt at cashing in on years gone by. This is a new usb drive created by Suck UK masquerading in the nostalgic wrappings of the classic mix tape. Does this new product recharge what was once a coveted and personalized vehicle of music exchange? Sadly no. I think it’s a cool idea, and they look great, and although it gets my nostalgic memories spinning at $40 bucks a pop, you have to be Richy Rich to be handing these out. One of the greatest things about mix tapes was that they were cheap. You could buy that five-pack of crappy tapes without covers that hung next to the cash register for a dollar. Maybe less. If you were a real snob you could get the two-pack of the high-fidelity tapes that came with the covers and stickers for the sides too. Yes these new usb drives are high tech, and the packaging is awesome but they take a nose-dive at the practicality level. For a present okay, but to use these in the same way as you made mix tapes back in the day? No way. Also they only hold 60 min worth of music, which is kitsch – but I was more of a 90 min guy anyway. So when I make mixes, as I still do, I stick to the standard CD, (they’re super cheap) and then design my own covers. They are personalized, portable mixes of music for my friends. Kind of like mix tapes, remember those?
Posted: June 13th, 2008 under Everyday Life, Music, Design, Advertising/Marketing.
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